


right on time

by exactlythat



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:34:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25548307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exactlythat/pseuds/exactlythat
Summary: It’s Steve’s last day in Indiana. Finally, he couldn’t wait for the moment he drove out the town.Only he couldn’t help but make one stop.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove & Steve Harrington, Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Comments: 2
Kudos: 45





	right on time

Hours passed. Steve could feel the ticking of the watch on his wrist. It was giving him mini-heart attacks. 

Right now he was parked out front the park. It was a mix of one for kids; swings, slides, monkey bars. But not too far was a basketball court. God the memories Steve could account for here. All the shoves he threw at Tommy. Yelling, “Hey! Asshole, stop cheating!” 

Billy was there. All alone dribbling a ball back and forth dodging imaginary players. Shooting then tucking his fist back as a sign of hoorah.

The jangling of his keys must’ve caught Billy’s attention. Cause he was mid-shot when he stopped, almost turned, but instead out of his own pride. Took the shot and made it. Steve wishes he could see that snarky smile on his face. So he sped up a little. Then slowed when he reached the inside of the rectangle shaped gate. 

It stood tall all around the basketball court.  
“Hargrove.”

Billy took a shot again before turning ‘round. There was that smile Steve was waiting for. But it faltered a bit, almost like he was expecting someone else. Maybe one of those sophomore chicks. Always chasing the beast. “Harrington, what brings you here?” 

Steve didn’t really have a response to that. In fact he didn’t have anything to really say. He kind of came over in hopes that some movie musical number would go down and everyone would dance happily. Who was he kidding? 

So he ignored the question and took seat on the rickety old bleachers. Watched as Billy played by himself and it tempted Steve to join in. But he didn’t want to break a sweat in his ‘departing’ outfit. “Gonna speak?” 

“No? I guess.” Billy looked over to Steve like he was some alien. “Then why’re you here? Must be something.”

Yeah. The guy was smart, too smart. 

“I’m leaving.” Again Billy stopped mid-shot and tucked the ball under his arm. “Soon.” Steve squinted up to the sky. The sun shone down harsh giving him spotty vision. He rubbed for a bit until it gradually came back. 

“What? You hoping I’ll kiss your feet goodbye?” He scoffed. He freaking scoffed, like Steve came here to start some fight again. This always bothered him. Billy was always so closed off that the mere idea of someone taking a liking just disgusted him. “Come on, man.”

They sat there again. In silence. Well, Steve sat while Billy began to miss his shots. Like something was on his mind now that Steve came into the picture.  
“Just came to say goodbye. Or whatever.”

“Weird timing isn’t it? Why don’t we save the goodbyes for Tommy’s getaway bash this week? I’d love to take that keg king label off you.” He smirked. Billy just enjoyed pulling the hairs of Steve. Gave him a means to living. 

“No, uh, I’m leaving today.”

It came as a shock but Billy ultimately stopped playing as a whole. The smile was no longer on his face and he kind of looked pale even with the sun shining down on his face. Droplets of sweat beaming on his forehead. “Oh.”

“Yeah. So...”

“Thought you’d do some farewell thing. You know...something.”

Steve just shook his head. He twiddled with his keys, leaning his elbows on his knees. Billy moved from the middle of the court to the last seating of the bleachers. Looking up at Steve. “Nah. Just wanted to get out soon as possible.”

Billy nodded. They had both become kind of tense. Too tense for people that were supposed to hate each other. For someone on the outside looking in, these were just two teenage boys with the dumb teenage rivalry. But to them...it was something different. Something unspoken.

“Nice to know I’m on your goodbye list”. He tried to joke. Steve chuckled a bit but wave of guilt hit him. Now Billy had known that he was probably his last goodbye. For ever. “Here I was thinking th-.”

“I’m sorry.” Steve blurted. Billy looked up with a confused expression. He kind of looked like he didn’t take that seriously. “For...everything. Wish we’d started off somewhat else than we did.” 

Billy bit at his lip then turned his head over to the side. Avoiding Steve’s gaze. “Why do you care all of a sudden?” He said with his face still turned away. His chest heaved up and down. 

“How do you know I never did?” Steve retorted. 

And it got Billy to grin. It wasn’t genuine, more like it was filled with hate, guilt, and just unreleased but undefined emotions. “Yeah, well. It’s not like we can start over, pretty boy.”

Pretty boy. He hadn’t heard that in months. 

“I know...I know.” He said in defeat. 

Billy looked back at Steve who was now picking at his scuffed boots. The black was wearing off and he had the nerve to peel at them. “You got time to drop by or...is this a one and done?”

“Hm, not really. Got a get a move on if I want to make it there by night. Wanna get some sleep in.”

It was masked but Steve could see Billy’s gears turning. It hurt them both that this was their goodbye. So many words that went unsaid, and grazes that went untouched. 

“Alright well. Give me a second will you?” Billy didn’t give Steve time to respond. He jogged over to a duffel bag that was thrown by the hoops metal pole. Picked it up effortlessly then plopped back down onto the bench. 

He rummaged through and through. Steve felt like hours went by. It was worrying him. But eventually the rummaging stopped and Billy threw the bag down by his foot. He was so careless with everything. Except for what he held in his hand. It was a bracelet. 

It was silver. Not boyish nor feminine. It just had one little charm on it. A greenish stone sat comfortably in a circular frame. It had bulky detailing around it. It was simple but weirdly stood out if you looked at it long enough. “What? For me?” Steve asked. 

“Not like my father would let me walk around alive with this thing on.” Billy didn’t really notice he said that so openly but deep down Steve always knew. And that’s what gutted him even more. He was going to leave Billy in that home. He wondered if Hopper knew. 

“You bought this for me?”

“Hold your horses, Harrington.” Billy rolled his eyes and Steve shoved at his shoulders playfully. They laughed breathily as Billy struggled to get the clasp open. “ S’ back from California.” He shrugged then continued. “Some random chick gave it to me, said the stone was good luck or something. So I just carry it around.”

The story didn’t seem believable but Steve didn’t want to argue. “Doesn’t really seem to do the charm on me but maybe.” He tugged at Steve’s wrist. Clasped the bracelet on but his fingers lingered on. They were awfully warm. “Maybe it’ll work for you.”

Steve looked at Billy. Like...really looked. He took in all of his face, his hair, those old scars on his cheek. That he claimed were from falling but Steve knew. And that earring he wore. “What?” Billy asked. 

Steve kind of felt empty handed. He wanted to give Billy something back. That’s when he remembered about the necklace he had on. It was nothing special just a knitty brown choker he made back in freshman year. At one of those poorly school funded arts and crafts centers. There was a small metal bead hooked in between it all. “Here.”

Steve quickly undid the necklace. He was going to hand it to Billy but something about doing it himself just suited the situation better. He was so close he could feel Billy’s breath on his cheek. His stomach didn’t feel any better when they locked eyes. 

“Thanks.”

“Yeah.”

They both messed around with each other’s gifts. Rubbing it between their fingers. Getting used to the feel.

“So, you got enough time left for smoke?”

Steve quirked up. 

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Alright.”

Billy winked once. Before standing with his duffel. He took off for the exit. Steve sat a couple seconds longer. 

It felt so bittersweet. 

“Alright.”  
He muttered to himself. This was it.

**Author's Note:**

> My writing is usually angsty and this fic I think was one of my worsts but I spent too much time to delete. So, enjoy! Feel free to comment <3


End file.
